Letter scale



Sept.y 6,1927.` v l' MAH A1,641,596

EEEEEEEEE LE Patented Sept. 6, 1927.

UNIT ETD* errantes MAHLOY, or Refinera,"vrac-inra. n',

:LETTER sCIi. y'

Application filed October 18, 1926. Serial No. 142,379.

This invention relates to scales and morey particularly to a scale by means of which the amount of postage required in order` to send a letter through the mail maybe readily ascertained.

One object ot' the invention is to provide a scale which will be very simple in its construction and cannot get out ot order. y

Another object of the invention is to provide a scale consisting ol a single bar adapted to rest upon a desir or table top and having its under surface so formed that thev amount o'f postage required upon aletter engaged with one end ot the bar may be indicated by the position in which the bar rests. f

` The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l isa view in side elevation showw ing the scale'in its normal position;k

Fig. 2 is a side elevation showing the bar moved out ol' its normal position by the weight of aletter engaged therewith; and

Fig. 3 is a. top plan view of the weighted end ot the scale forming bar. f

The scale constituting the subject-matter of this inventionconsists of a bar 1 which is preferably wood but may be formed of metal, glass or any other desired material. The bar is of sufficient width to permit it to be supported upon its under surface when placed upon a desk or table top 2 and is )prefs erably formed with a flat upper surface. Its under surface is substantially an irregular curve from one end to the other but isy divided into a plurality of longitudinally eX-,

tending fiat faces 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and l0 which progressively decrease in lengthtroiny off the tace 3, the letter does not weigh moreA than one `ounce and two cents postage is required, whereas if the letter causes the bar to rock to the position `shown in Fig. 2 and rest upon the face 6 it weighs four ounces and eight cents postage is necessary. It will be obvious that the bar may be of greater ory less length and the nui'nber of under faces varied according to the length of the bar and weight ot the material Jfrom rwhich it is made. A counterweight i3 yformed of metal or other relatively heavy material is secured to the other end of the bar from the clip l2 and ypreferably formed with arms llwhich overlap the reduced end por-k tion l5 of the barand are iirmlyr secured thereto by screws 1 6, The weight serves to normally retain the bar in' the position shown. in Fig; l.

Vlll'hen the scale is in use, it is placed upon a table tip and normally assumes the lposition she-wn in llig. l vin which position it isysupported upon the under face 3. The letter to be weighed is engaged between the clip l2 and the end ot' the bar to which the clip yis attached and it doesvnot weigh more than one ounce its weight will not be suilicient to move the bar oill the face 3. A

letter ot' greater weight will causethe bar y substantially arcuate under surface divided into a plurality olf longitudinally extending'V faces, the [body having one end weighted and normally resting upon aface of its under surface adjacent the weighted end of the body, and means at the opposite end of the body to support an article to be weighed whereby the body will be rocked longitudinally from one tace onto another accordlng to the weight of the article.

2. A scale comprising a body having a bowed under surface divided into a plurality of longitudinally extending flat faces prof gressively decreasing in length from one end of the body, towards the other, ya weight carried by one end of said body and serving to normally retain the body resting upon a face adjacent the said weighted end portion of the body, and. a clip secured to theV opposite end of the body to support an article to be weighed whereby the body will be rocked from one face onto another according to the weight of the article.

3. A scale comprising an elongated body having a longitudinally convex under surface formed with flat faces progressively decreasing in length from one end towards the other, means being provided adjacent the 5 last-mentioned end of the body for carrying the article to be weighed, the other end of the body being reduced from opposed faces to forni a tongue extension, a weight extending longitudinally of the body and having one end foiined with arins engaging the 10 faces of said tongue and secured thereto.

In testiiiiony whereof I aflix iny signature.

CHARLES MAHLOY. [as] 

